


For King and Country

by AngelsAvengeMe



Category: The Good Cop (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Attempted Kidnapping, Broken Bones, Car Accidents, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Minor Violence, New York City, TheGoodCopWinterFicChallenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-20 07:09:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17617826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelsAvengeMe/pseuds/AngelsAvengeMe
Summary: Crown Prince Anthony "TJ" Caruso the Second only wanted to get to know his deceased mom before he was to ascend to the throne. Unfortunately, life had other plans in the form of wannabe kidnappers, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and a father too stuck in his ways to realize the truth.--------For the prompt 'secretly royalty'





	For King and Country

**Author's Note:**

> (Ahhhh I was a few minutes late posting it, I'm sorry ;A;)
> 
> I don't know how I feel about this but hopefully it's still enjoyable ^^''

New York city was so different from anything he’d ever experienced before. It was rare he was allowed to leave and explore a city he was visiting, but he had begged and begged Burl, his ‘bodyguard’, and his uncle Luca, the acting King of Carusania, until they’d finally given in and let him have his way. It did probably help though that he rarely asked for anything so ‘outlandish’ and had always been determined to follow the rules, no matter how minuscule, easing his family’s worry. Of course Burl—and Ryan his personal assistant—had to be within so many metres of him at all times, but that was A-okay with him as long as he got to explore as much as he wanted. 

 

“Why couldn’t we take the car again?” asked Burl, his huffing breath curling in the cold air. “Seriously kid, one more block and I’m tying you to a bench.” 

 

TJ bit back a smile as he trudged through the fresh snow. The cold wasn’t so bad, definitely no where near as rough as it could get back home in the mountainous regions. 

 

“I’m pretty sure that constitutes a form of treason, Burl.” 

 

Burl just huffed and shook his head, uttering something under his breath. 

 

“If he gets arrested, can I be your new bodyguard, Your Royal Highness?” 

 

“Ryan, you’ve known TJ for years, are you ever gonna stop calling him ‘Your Royal Highness’?”

 

“Only when he’s king, sir.”

 

TJ raised an eyebrow. 

 

“Then he’ll be Your Majesty.”

 

TJ facepalmed and muttered under his breath. How had he been stuck with these two? 

 

Turning away, he continued down the sidewalk until the place he’d been looking for came into view. The façade of the building wasn’t all that telling of what was inside with its slick metal sidings and random bits of graffiti and peeling stickers on the window, but his mom had told him about it years ago now. It was a bookstore, one that held old, rare, and odd books from all over the world. It had a been a safe haven for her growing up apparently, before she’d fallen in love with his dad and had to move to Carusania. 

 

“Ew, this place looks like a dump.”

 

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t always judge a book by its cover, Ryan.” With that, he pushed open the door and walked in, the other two close behind. 

 

The inside was almost the complete opposite of the outside. It was cozy and welcoming, though a little messy and disorganized with books stacked a few feet off the floor in haphazard piles. The lighting was dimmer and oranger than he would’ve liked, but it seemed to add to the warm feeling of the well-used space. Along the doorways, checkout desk, and any other free space were Christmas decorations of all kinds. Some were small knick-knack Santas and garlands, while others were a little more eclectic and quirky like Krampus dolls and fine china plates painted with famous movie characters celebrating the holidays. 

 

No wonder his mother had loved this place, it was like a wonderland. 

 

Choosing to ignore Burl’s mutterings about a ‘kid in a candy shop’, TJ made his way deeper into the store. As he perused the displayed selections, he couldn’t help but feel an aching nostalgia despite never having been before. His mom had only been gone a few years, but being here made him feel as if she’d never passed. 

 

When he was little, she had recounted stories to him from books she had read from this very place. As he’d gotten older, the stories had weened but he’d never forgotten. It still brought a smile to his face to think of the precious time they spent together bonding over their love of fantastical stories. Which lead him to his reason for being here. From what he was able to remember of the stories, most had come from an old anthology book, one his mother had specifically told him where she had hidden it so no other person could take it before she had the chance to save up and buy it for her future children. Of course, after running in to the then crown prince of Carusania, his dad, the book and the shop had become long forgotten memory until he’d been born and grown enough for to ask for nighttime stories. By then, she’d been unable to go and get it. 

 

He just hoped his mother had been accurate about her hiding place and that no one had discovered the book in the 30 some years it had been since she’d set foot in this place. 

 

“Oh my god, look at this book!” 

 

“Ryan, don’t you dare-”

 

A sudden crash sounded throughout the store. 

 

Turning around, TJ was greeted with the sight of a toppled over display table with its content of books and Christmas decorations now strewn across the floor. 

 

Ryan slowly stood, a book held in his hand while Burl facepalmed off to the side. 

 

Sighing, TJ immediately regretted not ditching them and coming here himself. 

 

“What happened to keeping a low profile?” growled Burl.

 

“Sorry,” mumbled Ryan, already trying to clean up the substantial mess. 

 

“Oh lord. Is anybody hurt?” 

 

Turning around, he saw a buff, greying man with half-moon glasses in a jean jacket with an odd assortment of patches coming out from one of the aisles. What really caught his attention though, was the beautiful dark-haired woman next to him. She had to have been about his age, with a kind face and flawless complexion. She was truly unlike anyone he’d ever seen before, it actually took his breath away. 

 

The man, who he assumed worked there, stepped closer to him, breaking his focus. TJ was never one to miss the small details, meaning it was almost second nature for him to catch the sharpening of Burl’s gaze as he tracked the clerk’s movement. Despite his bodyguard’s reluctance to apply effort to most things, he wasn’t entirely bad at his job, especially when it counted. Ryan though, bless his heart, hadn’t even seemed to notice the potential of a threat. 

 

“Why don’t you go look for your book while we clean this up?” 

 

TJ nodded, knowing it was Burl’s way of telling him to hurry up so they could get out of here before something happened. 

 

“Oh,” said the clerk, “what book are you looking for? The least I can do is point you in the right direction. I’m not sure I’ll be able to help for while…” he said, his gaze travelling back to the substantial mess. 

 

TJ grimaced. “Oh, uh. I’m not really sure. All I know is that it’s by a nook that had a painting?” 

 

The clerk cocked his head, considering him for a long moment before a small, knowing smile appeared. “Down there,” he said, pointing to the row he’d just come form. “Turn left then ri—oh, actually! Cora, you know this place almost as well as I do, could you show him? It’s a bit complicated to only explain.”

 

Normally he would’ve declined, loving the chance to explore a bookshop at his own leisure, but he’d yet to talk one-on-one with a genuine New Yorker without Burl or Ryan interrupting and it was something he’d desperately wanted to do. It was a chance to understand the people who lived in the community his mother had grown up in, giving him at least a glimpse into what it may have been like for her before she’d married into European royalty. And, well, it didn’t hurt that the woman—Cora—was one of the most beautiful people he’d ever seen. 

 

She shrugged before tipping her head in indication to follow her. 

 

With one last look back to Burl and Ryan, he followed Cora into one of the aisles. 

 

“So,” began Cora, “you don’t know what book you’re looking for specifically, but you know where it is? Do you always do things backwards?” 

 

“Not often, no,” he chuckled. 

 

Cora hmm’d. “How’d you find out about it, if you don’t mind me asking?” 

 

“My mom,” he said. “She used to come here a lot when she was young. It was one of her favourites.” 

 

“Ahh, I see. She couldn’t remember the title I take it?” 

 

He shrugged. “I never asked.” That was one of his biggest regrets with the short time he’d had with his mom. There were so many things he wished he could’ve had the chance to ask her. Now, the closest thing he had to his mom was his dad, and his dad often had no answers or refused to talk about her beyond the odd comment here or there. It had started more than one fight between the two of them. 

 

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.” A sense of understanding shone in her eyes. 

 

TJ shook his head. “No, it’s okay.”

 

They smiled at one another. God, did she have one of the most gorgeous smiles he’d ever seen. 

 

“Have you lived in New York your whole life?” 

 

She nodded. “Yep. Couldn’t imagine living anywhere else, to be honest.” 

 

“It is a lovely city.” 

 

“I take it you’re not from around here, huh?” 

 

He shook his head. “What gave it away?” he asked, bending down to pick up a fallen book. 

 

She watched as he found its correct spot, placing it back on the shelf. “Well, that, for one.” 

 

“What? New Yorkers don’t put things back where they belong?” 

 

She laughed. He couldn’t help but smile, it was a sound he wouldn’t mind hearing again and again, that’s for sure. 

 

“Well, some do I’m sure, just none I’ve ever met.” 

 

They both chuckled. 

 

“My mom was from here. Born and raised.”

 

“Yeah? Whereabouts, do you know?” 

 

“Here. In Brooklyn. Not sure where exactly, though it was probably pretty close by.”

 

Cora nodded. “Well, I’d say that makes you can honourary New Yorker then.” 

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yeah, only because its your mom though. Aunts and uncles and cousins and all that, none of them count.” 

 

He laughed. “So only parents then?”

 

“Of course. Though it gets a little hinky if they left before secondary school.” 

 

“Makes sense.” 

 

They smiled at one another. How had he been so lucky to have been helped by someone as-

 

Suddenly he was jerked to the side, forcing the two of them close together, chest-to-chest. Before he could protest the manhandling, a teenager came barreling out from the aisle directly in front of them, bopping their head to some loud rock music, their nose stuck deep in a book as they pushed a trolley full of books, completely oblivious to the fact that they almost collided. 

 

“Maybe watch where you’re going next time, Terry,” said Cora. The kid didn’t turn around, still unaware of what could’ve transpired. She rolled her eyes. 

 

Then, they locked eyes. 

 

His breath caught in his throat as he got lost in her deep brown eyes. He wasn’t sure how he could tell, but he just knew, right then and there, Cora was someone special. Someone who had the ability to make his heart skip a beat, and with a gaze that spoke to him in a language he didn’t understand but would give anything to learn. 

 

As if enchanted, he leaned in, ever so slightly. She did the same. Then…

 

The cart rattled past again, bringing him back to his senses. Blushing fiercely he stepped back, breaking contact. 

 

“Sorry, I-”

 

She shook her head, looking away. “Don’t worry.” 

 

He cleared his throat as she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. 

 

“So, uhh, I guess I’ll leave you to it then,” she said, waving in the general direction of the nook. He’d been so caught up talking with her he hadn’t even noticed they’d arrived. 

 

As she turned to walk away, he stopped her. “Wait, Cora, I-” 

 

She looked at him, her eyes wide; hopeful. His words faltered. There was so much he wanted to say yet, he couldn’t. He was crown prince of Carusania, he couldn’t ask a woman he’d just met for her number, or even on a date. It was against regulation and heavily frowned upon. Royals were not meant to go out with commoners, despite his own father’s choices. It wasn’t supposed to happen.

 

“I… I just wanted to thank you. I appreciate the help.” 

 

With a small smile, she nodded before turning on her heel and disappearing into one of the aisles. 

 

TJ let out a sigh. Why did it feel like he’d just made the biggest mistake of his life?

 

\- .... . / --. --- --- -.. / -.-. --- .--.

 

It hadn’t taken him long to find the book. It had been right where his mom had said: in a little hidden hatch under the cushion in the nook in the wall. 

 

Cradling it in his arms was like holding a piece of home. It felt right—natural even. He couldn’t wait to get back to his hotel room to read some of the stories to see how good his mother’s recollection had been. 

 

As he approached the front desk, having been forced to take a different route this time as one of the aisles had been taken over by a pair of horny teenagers, he suddenly felt as if something was off, the hairs on the back of his neck raising. 

 

He had a pretty good intuition, something his mother had said was thanks to a long line of police officers on her side of the family, so he never doubted it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t specific. Usually it went off because he was being photographed or filmed from afar, often having his suspicions confirmed within the week when the photos showed up in some tabloid or ‘news’ story. Something told him though that wasn’t the case this time though. The only royalty Americans really new of were the British, a small country like his not noteworthy enough to even remember the name of let alone their lineup of nobility. 

 

With a deep breath, he tried to force himself to act natural. Whoever was spying on him didn’t need to know he knew, not until he found out who it was and what they wanted first. It was never a good idea to play your hand early, that much he knew. 

 

Gripping the book tighter, he hunched his shoulders and tried to listen for any subtle shifts in sound while carefully trying to peak through the gaps between the books and the shelves to other aisles. From what he could tell, he was alone, but it didn’t feel like it. 

 

Maybe Ryan was right. Maybe he really did need to learn to relax. 

 

Unfortunately, fate had other plans. 

 

Just as he was about to turn down another aisle, a gloved-hand shot out, smothering his mouth and nose. Dropping his book, he immediately started to struggle, clawing at the hand. Whoever had him was definitely strong, despite his flailing and repeated elbowing, the man only grunted, still pulling him back further into the building. Getting desperate—for freedom and air—he bit the offending extremity, immediately tasting leather. The man howled, drawing his hand away in a flash. 

 

“Burl! Hel—mmmmph!” 

 

The hand gripped his face again, this time tight enough to hurt, the man’s fingers digging into his cheeks and jaw like he wanted to rip his face off. 

 

He heard the sound of a door opening followed by a cold wall of air. Oh, god, they were taking him outside! Where the was Burl? Hell, he’d even take Ryan! 

 

As his shoes hit snow, he stopped struggling, becoming a dead weight and causing the man to lose his grip and TJ to hit the ground hard. He screamed as a sharp pain shot through his wrist. Before he even had time to think, the hands were on him again, dragging him across the slippery ground towards a running work van. 

 

“Stop, police!” 

 

Standing in the doorway back to the shop was Cora. Her stance was strong as she pointed a gun straight at the wannabe kidnapper. 

 

His heart skipped a beat at the sight.

 

“Let him go or I shoot.”

 

Why did he get the feeling the man would take the risk. 

 

“TJ!” Burl and Ryan burst outside, giving the kidnapper the distraction he needed. With a heave, the kidnapper pulled him straight up, only to drop him and book it to the van. Landing heavily, he bit his lip as pain shot through his wrist once again. 

 

The woman, with her gun still pulled, growled a rather colourful string of swear words as she booked it after the van. 

 

“Are you hurt?” said Burl, hustling over to him, the fastest TJ had seen the man move in years. 

 

Nodding, TJ struggled to his feet, holding his arm close to his chest. Ryan jogged over, grabbing his good arm and helped him up. 

 

He hissed as Burl gently prodded his arm. “I think it’s broken, kid.” Grimacing, Burl pulled out his phone. “Ryan, call the driver, tell him it’s urgent.” 

 

As Ryan phoned, the woman reappeared around the corner, heading back towards them. 

 

“I lost them,” she said, a thunderous look on her face. “I got a license plate number though and called it in, so don’t worry, they won’t get far before they’re caught.” 

 

“Are you really a cop?” said Ryan, handing the phone back to Burl. 

 

The woman nodded. “Detective Cora Vasquez.” 

 

Ryan’s face lit up. “I’ve always wanted to meet a New York city cop! Have you ever been in one of those shows? My favourite’s _Law and Order: SVU_. Olivia’s my hero.” 

 

Cora’s eyebrows slowly raised. She looked to him and Burl in confirmation that Ryan was serious. They solemnly nodded. 

 

“Uh, no. It… doesn’t really work like that.” 

 

Ryan’s shoulders fell. “Aww.” 

 

“How about we bring you to the hospital and I can get your statement while you wait?” 

 

“No.” 

 

Cora was taken aback. “You don’t want to report you were almost kidnapped?” 

 

“I…” he looked to Burl and Ryan. He knew it was the right thing to do—to report it and stop them from ever being able to do it again—but he knew if he did, he wouldn’t be the only one impacted. Not only would it induce an unwanted media frenzy, his friends would lose their jobs. In Carusania, working for the royal family was the highest honour one could receive. Being fired from said job though, was how one and their family got shunned from society for the rest of their lives. He’d seen it happen one too many times, thanks to his dad. 

 

“I can’t.”

 

“You can’t?” Cora looked incredulous. 

 

“I mean I don’t want to. They weren’t successful and we won’t be in town much longer… there’s really no reason to go through all the hassle.” 

 

“The hassle?” Now she just looked downright baffled. “What if those freaks come back for you?” 

 

His car pulled up at the end of the alleyway. Thank god. 

 

“Like I said, we won’t be in town much longer, so it won’t be a problem.” With that, they turned and made their way to the car.

 

Cora chased after them, not done yet. “Are you su-?” 

 

“Yes, I am.” He looked down at his wrist. “Thank you though, Detective. Is there anyway I can repay you?” 

 

“Yeah, by reporting it.” 

 

He frowned, stopping next to the car. If he was anybody else, he would’ve reported it. Hell, if he was anybody else, he might’ve done it just to get to know her better. But he wasn’t anybody else, and he had a duty to his country, and his friends, above all. 

 

“I’m sorry, Detective.” He carefully got into the car. “Maybe we’ll see each other again and I can properly repay you then.” With that, he closed the door and they drove off, leaving an astounded Cora behind. 

 

\- .... . / --. --- --- -.. / -.-. --- .--.

 

His wait at the hospital had been long, especially since he refused to mention he was a royal—much to Burl’s chagrin—so by the time he’d been able to return to his rather lavish hotel room, he was pooped.

 

Unfortunately for him, he still had a FaceTime call to make with his dad who, if he was lucky, wasn’t still chomping at the bit to bring him home three days early. Listening to Burl get yelled at after calling to tell him about the injury was not a fun experience for either of them, though it did cement that he really needed to get his friend one helluva Christmas present this year. 

 

Flopping onto his giant, plush bed, TJ groaned, annoyed that his vacation had taken such a turn for the worse. If his father put his foot down, he’d have no choice but to return back home, losing him the opportunity to really connect with his mom like he’d intended. 

 

The telltale jingle of the call connecting drew his attention to the screen. With a sigh, he accepted the call. 

 

“What the hell happened, Anthony?” 

 

“I’m fine, dad.”

 

Tony scowled at him. 

 

“Anthony.”

 

“It’s nothing serious-”

 

“A broken wrist isn’t serious? You’re going to be the death of me kid, y’know that? Who slips and breaks their wrist? Little old ladies, that’s who, I can’t believe-” 

 

He took a deep breath, trying to squash the feeling of guilt that tried to worm its way to the surface. He absolutely abhorred lying. It made him feel like he’d committed an unspeakable atrocity whenever he’d done it. The last time, he’d made it a full 36 hours before caving and confessing, sobbing into his mother’s shoulder as he’d begged for forgiveness. Not one of his finer moments, that was for sure. 

 

“Dad-”

 

“I think it’s time you came home. You’ve been gone long enough, and the fact that I even _let_ you go on this trip—I don’t even know what I was thinking! Obviously you caught me at a weak moment-”

 

He rubbed at his brow. “I’m 24-”

 

“America’s just not as safe as it used to be-”

 

“Dad-”

 

“I need you on the next flight home. The private jet can be up and running in a few hours-”

 

“ _No_. Dad. Just… enough, please.”

 

His dad leaned back, letting out a huff. 

 

“I understand you’re worried, but I’m an adult who, I might add, is going to be king in a few months. You know better than anyone that this is my last chance to be… _me_.”

 

Tony was quiet for a long moment. He was happy his dad seemed to be taking his feelings into consideration, something he felt rarely happened with him, especially these past few years. 

 

“You’re right, you’re an adult now, but I’ll always be your parent, no matter how old or important you get.” 

 

TJ turned his face and dropped his gaze, chewing on his lip as a feeling of guilt curled in his stomach. 

 

“You sure a slip was all that happened?” 

 

He looked back to his dad. His stomach clenching as he noticed the sudden intensity of his father’s gaze, almost as if he knew. There was no way he could’ve though. Burl and Ryan wouldn’t have said a thing, and Cora wouldn’t have been able to contact him, unless… No. His dad wouldn’t sink low enough to secretly hire a cop to keep an eye on him. He just wouldn’t.

 

“Completely unexpected.” 

 

His dad sighed, looking visibly relieved. He felt sick to his stomach now. How could he lie straight to his dad’s face? What kind of person was he becoming?

 

“Let me finish my last three days here and I’ll be back and it’ll be like I never left.”

 

He could tell his dad was seriously considering what he’d said and wasn’t happy about it, going by the grumpy look growing on his face. 

 

“You know, if I was still king, you’d be back here in a heartbeat, I hope you know that.”

 

He groaned, rolling his eyes as he flopped against the pile of pillows behind him. 

 

“I can’t even imagine what your mother would say about you trying to give your old man a heart attack like this.” 

 

TJ grabbed one of the pillows and smushed it over his face, groaning into it. 

 

“What? Your old man can’t make sure his only child is okay?”

 

TJ didn’t bother responding to that. It felt like all his dad did the past four, almost five years was worry. To most, it would seem like he was being a strict parent, one who cared about the image his child portrayed to the world, but TJ knew better. His often off-beat tactics to keep him safe were a way to try and feel as if he had control. 

 

Ever since the collision that had killed his mom, and had left him in the hospital for almost a month, his dad had become overbearing. His security had almost tripled in size, car rides had became painfully slow and strictly purposeful, while his favourite part about being a royal—interacting with his fellow countrymen and finding ways to help—had become taboo. Even his uncle Luca, who had always been one to support him, often becoming a ‘partner in crime’ of sorts and even a confidant, now refused anything TJ asked of him without first running it past his father for approval. If anyone outside of the family had known about it, it would’ve become the laughing stock of the entire country. The current king asking a former, forcibly abdicated king if something was okay or not? Absolutely ridiculous and completely against regulation. 

 

“TJ?”

 

With a moan, TJ removed the pillow and sat back up to look at his father again. 

 

“Promise me, no more injuries?” 

 

He sighed. “Dad, you know I can’t promise something like that.”

 

Tony shook his head, rubbing at his brow. “I need you back here, in one piece, in three days time or else I’m sending in the big guns.” 

 

His dad had used that ‘threat’ a few times, but he’d yet to figure out what the ‘big guns’ actually were. Probably something he legally shouldn’t have access to but would utilize anyway, knowing his dad. 

 

“I’ll be back in three days, I promise.”

 

“Good.” Tony looked at him, a sudden deep sadness in his eyes. “You know I love you, right?” 

 

Worried at the sudden tonal shift, TJ wasn’t sure how to respond beyond the normal. “I know. I love you too, dad.”

 

His dad sighed. “All right. Well, get some rest kid, you need sleep if you wanna be the top of you game. And stick to museums or what-not, no more of this ‘off the beaten path’ crap you pulled, you got me?” 

 

And the conversation had been going so well. 

 

“Yes, father,” he replied, exasperated.

 

“That’s what I like to hear. Night, kid. Sleep well.” 

 

“Bye, dad.” 

 

With that, he ended the call, closed his laptop and flopped down. He didn’t even hear the click of the door as Burl returned to check on him only minutes later, having been claimed by sleep within seconds. 

 

\- .... . / --. --- --- -.. / -.-. --- .--.

 

Cora couldn’t understand it. Who the hell wouldn’t report a kidnapping attempt, especially if _you_ were the one who’d been almost kidnapped? It made no sense. Not that TJ or his friends really made sense. They were definitely hiding something, but what that something was, she couldn’t tell. 

 

Maybe he was apart of the mafia. 

 

Ha! 

 

No way. She’d bet a million bucks the guy was as pure as fresh snow.

 

It didn’t really matter though, she supposed. Mafia or not, TJ still deserved to have those bastard wannabe-kidnappers caught and thrown in jail, or at the very least, run out of town. Who the hell just upped and dragged someone kicking and screaming out of a bookstore anyways? Nutsos, that’s who. So, being the only cop who knew anything about the situation, she had a duty to investigate. And who knew, maybe a Christmas miracle would happen and she’d catch them, bringing her and TJ together again and she could see his cute doe eyes. That wouldn’t be too bad of a thank you.

 

Which is why she was currently trailing the same van that had been used in the kidnapping. She may or may not have put out an APB on it and had gotten a hit less than hour ago. So far, she had no clue where they were heading, but she’d been able to get a few glances of the driver and the passenger. It was definitely the same couple as yesterday: a younger guy and an older woman (whom she’d dubbed Buzz and Red respectively), though neither of them were the people the van was registered to. Essentially, if they ditched it, she was screwed. 

 

Despite the slippery roads and regular asshole drivers, she’d been able to keep up until they’d thankfully pulled into an alleyway. Quickly swiping a rare free spot along the side of the road, Cora watched from her vantage point as they got out of the van and began walking. Not wanting to lose them, she got out of her own car, put on a snapback, and followed far enough behind they wouldn’t be suspicious. 

 

They walked for a few minutes until the couple entered the Guggenheim. Following them in, she realized they had every intention of walking around the actual museum. Annoyed at the loss of $25 for a ticket for something she couldn’t care less about, Cora hurried after them, grabbing a program on the way to hide her face further if need be. 

 

The building was circular with a large spiral ramp that went all the way around and up. Artwork lined the plain walls, the sleek floors giving the place an odd sterile feeling.

 

As she followed the couple as they entered the ramp, someone caught her eye a level higher just as they ducked away from the edge. 

 

Her blood ran cold. 

 

If TJ’s weird little friend was here, then that meant…

 

Crap.

 

As the kidnappers entered one of the exhibition rooms, no doubt in search of TJ, Cora hurried up to the next level, only to find it void of who she was looking for. 

 

Great. 

 

Searching the next level, Cora realized they weren’t there either. Growling, she peered over the edge, noticing the kidnappers were closer than she would’ve liked. Looking up, she caught sight of TJ and his friends making their way to the top level. 

 

Hurrying as fast as she could without arousing suspicion, she made her way to them. By the time she reached the top floor, they were turning a corner at the end of the hallway. Huffing in annoyance, Cora hustled past the other guests toward them. 

 

Around the corner was a small room with a security guard right at the entranceway, a sign stood next to him declaring groups of no more than four people at a time. Pushing past a large gathering of tourists, she stopped in front of the guard. 

 

“Sorry, miss, there’s currently a-”

 

“Oh, no, I’m with them,” she said, pointing into the room after TJ. “My boyfriend and his friends thought I wouldn’t want to see…” she quick glanced at the plaque advertising the exhibit. “Jeff Koons, but he’s my favourite. ” 

 

The guard quirked an eyebrow. “… _Really_?” 

 

She smiled and nodded like a bobblehead on crack. “Oh, definitely. I really love his use of, uhm, colour, y’know? It’s fantastic.” 

 

He rapidly blinked as if the thought didn’t compute. 

 

Using his confusion to her advantage, she bolted past him with a quick ‘thank you’ and into the room, only to immediately do a double-take. The ‘sculptures’ were pool floaties on mirrors. She felt like she’d just stepped into the Twilight Zone. 

 

“Whaaaat the hell…” 

 

“Detective?” 

 

Oh, right. TJ. 

 

“TJ, thank god,” she said, striding over to him. Burl stepped in front of him. 

 

“How did you know where we were?” asked Burl, his tone terse.

 

Frowning, she looked between them. TJ’s cheeks were flushed in embarrassment as he awkwardly stood behind a stern Burl, while Ryan had his arms crossed in a poor attempt to seem menacing. 

 

“I didn’t.” 

 

“You expect us to believe that?” 

 

She shook her head. “No, I mean, _I_ didn’t know you were here.”

 

Understanding dawned on TJ’s face before it quickly blanched. 

 

“Maybe she had a stroke and forgot how to communicate. That happened to one of my friends once,” said Ryan, stepping forward. “Don’t worry miss, we’ll get you to a doctor,” his voice slow and raised voice. “A doc-tor.” 

 

She levelled the frizzy haired kid with an unimpressed look. 

 

“I think what Cora means is, the kidnappers are here,” said TJ, stepping out from behind Burl. 

 

A commotion sounded from outside. 

 

“C’mon,” she said, grabbing his good arm and dragging him toward the exit. 

 

The four of them hustled out of the room and into a new hallway. Peaking around the corner back to the entrance of the exhibit, they could see the kidnappers were standing outside arguing with the security guard and some of the guests. Apparently they’d butt in line. 

 

“That’s them,” she whispered, pointing to the couple. 

 

“Oh wow, are those guns? Why would they need those?” asked Ryan, his voice at normal speaking volume, almost falling over trying to get a better look. They darted back around the corner—save Ryan who was dragged—after some guests looked their way. 

 

“Okay,” breathed Cora, “we just need to wait for them to enter pool floatie Hell and then we can make a break for it.” 

 

“I don’t run.”

 

They all looked to Burl. 

 

“It’s true,” said TJ. “I’ve known him my whole life, he really doesn’t.”

 

Cora sighed. Of course. 

 

“Oh, look!” said Ryan, back to peaking around the corner. “They went into the room we were just in. Do you think they’ll like it? If they take one of the floaties can I take one too? It’s only fair.”

 

“ _No_ ,” the three of them said in unison. 

 

“Aw.”

 

Cora peaked back around the corner. Ryan was right, they weren’t there. 

 

“Go-go-go!” she said, ushering them past the group of people and down the hall towards the spiral. The kidnappers would realize pretty quickly that TJ wasn’t there, giving them maybe a minute head start, if they were lucky.

 

“How did they know we were here?” asked Burl, looking about as chill if he was taking a leisurely stroll. 

 

“I don’t know, but if we don’t get TJ the hell outta here, it won’t matter.” 

 

They’d only had two loops left when the kidnappers reappeared at the top. 

 

Cora locked eyes with the woman. 

 

“Shit.”

 

She grabbed TJ’s wrist and pulled him along faster, Burl be damned. She didn’t know why these people wanted TJ, but it was her job as a cop to keep him safe and she was sure as hell gonna do it. 

 

“Detective!”

 

She ignored him, intent on getting him as far away from this place as possible. 

 

“Detective Vasquez—Wait!” 

 

She tightened her grip. 

 

“Cora, please! We can’t just leave Burl behind. What if they take him instead?” 

 

She slowed down at that. If they were this desperate for TJ, why wouldn’t they take the next best thing—someone he cared about?

 

Growling, she whirled around to find Burl. He was about twenty feet back, still walking though his pace did have a bit more pep now. Unfortunately though, the perps had decided to jog down the spiral, the only reason they hadn’t caught up yet was because of the large group of students and tourists crowded the hall as they left one of the galleries. 

 

Having a partner would’ve come in real handy right about now. 

 

“I’ll go get him,” said Ryan, jogging back to the other man as they continued on.

 

“They’ll catch up to us. We may all make it outside, but unless there’s a getaway vehicle right at the door, we don’t stand a chance.” 

 

She looked to TJ, unsure what he was trying to say. 

 

“I think, maybe, you guys should just go.” 

 

Stunned, she almost ran into a random passerby. 

 

“TJ,” she seethed, “you are absolutely not allowed to hand yourself over. These people are crazy, they have guns, and for some random ass reason, they want you and I refuse.” 

 

“You… refuse?” he said, his eyebrows furrowed. Ugh, it wasn’t fair, why did he have to be so damn cute? It made her wanna punch him. 

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I-”

 

“Got him!” Ryan said proudly, now only feet behind them. He was pushing Burl from behind, forcing gravity to propel him down the sloped walkway at a rate Cora was sure Burl had never been at in his adult life. 

 

“If lives weren’t potentially at stake, I would roll you down this thing like a bowling ball, Ryan,” seethed Burl. 

 

Finally on the main level, they hurried out the door and onto the streets, the kidnappers close on their heels. 

 

“Over there,” she said, pointing to the general vicinity she’d parked in. 

 

Without the momentum of the slope, Ryan’s efforts quickly became pointless, ending in Cora and TJ much further ahead once again. 

 

Planting his feet, TJ refused to continue on. “I can’t leave them Cora.” 

 

“TJ…” 

 

He shook his head. 

 

Biting her lip, she surveyed the area. The kidnappers were pushing their way through the crowd now, meaning their window of escape was closing in by the second, Burl and Ryan would be in their clutches within moments.

 

“Ugh,” she said, reaching into her pocket to pull out her keys. “Take these. My car’s the old orange mustang about two blocks down.” As he reached for the keys, clutched them closer. “You get one scratch on her and you owe me a whole new car, understood?”

 

“Understood.” 

 

As he turned to leave, she stopped him with a claw-like grip to his coat. He looked back, his brows were furrowed but his eyes wide. 

 

“Just… be careful, okay?”

 

He nodded, a solemn look on his face. “You too.” And with that, he was gone. 

 

Unlatching her holster and putting her hand on the butt of her gun, Cora pushed her way through the crowd, reaching Burl and Ryan seconds before the kidnappers did. Standing in front of them, she pushed her coat back, showing off her weapon and badge. 

 

“Try anything and you’ll regret it.” 

 

Buzz sneered. 

 

These kidnappers may have been stupid, but they weren’t stupid enough to start a shootout in the middle of a busy sidewalk, that much she knew. 

 

“You might as well just save yourself the trouble, we won’t give up.” 

 

Cora scoffed. “You think I will?” 

 

Buzz smiled, dragging his eyes up and down her body, as if just seeing her for the first time. It made her skin crawl, like she was a specimen to him. Refusing to back down or show weakness, she kept her gaze locked firmly on his face. 

 

“Let’s get out of here,” said Red, grabbing her partner’s arm. “She can’t be with him 24/7. We’ll find our moment.” The woman turned and stalked away, the man winking at Cora before doing the same, both of them soon blending into the crowd. 

 

“Wow. Why’re they so mean?” 

 

Cora and Burl both turned to look at Ryan. 

 

“That’s what you want to know?” mused Burl. 

 

Ryan shrugged. 

 

Burl turned to her, his expression dour. “The real question is, where’s TJ?” 

 

Turning and looking to the road, Cora searched for her car. Anxiety brewed in her stomach. Where the hell was TJ? Had something had happened to him? Maybe the kidnappers were working with a wider network. Maybe he’d been unable to find her car, or had been mugged. Dammit, why had she let him go off on his own? 

 

“I-” Before she could get the words out, she heard the tell-tale purring sound of her engine. Coming from the opposite way she’d parked, TJ put his blinker on and pulled up, turning if off before getting out, a big smile on his face. She sighed in relief.

 

“Whoa,” said Ryan, “where’d you get such a cool car?” 

 

“It’s mine,” Cora said, not bothering to hide her smirk. She grabbed the keys from his hand, making sure to take a good long at him, checking for injuries. “What took you so long?”

 

“I had to go around,” he said, using his pointer finger to indicate a rectangular shape. 

 

She looked at him, incredulous. “You couldn’t just pop a u-ey?” 

 

The offended look on his face made her want to laugh and tear her hair out. What had she gotten herself into? 

 

\- .... . / --. --- --- -.. / -.-. --- .--.

 

They were holed up in Cora’s apartment. It was quaint, most of the furniture second-hand, thewallpaper peeling, but it was still nice; homey in a way that he hadn’t expected from her. It was obvious though, she didn’t spend a lot of time here if the layers of dust everywhere was to be trusted.

 

Rubbing his forehead, he looked at Cora. Still riding high on adrenaline, she was currently busy pacing the length of the room, seemingly deep in thought, while TJ watched her from the pleather couch, unsure if he should interrupt or risk getting his head bitten off again. Cora had been pretty testy the whole ride over, even more so after they’d refused to give any details as to why he might be the target of repeated kidnapping attempts. Both Burl and Ryan had scurried off to ‘secure the perimeter’ within minutes of arriving, something that had surprised TJ since Burl had seemed suspicious of Cora since her arrival at the museum. 

 

“I just,” began Cora, her voice terse, “I don’t understand why you won’t let me help you. I don’t care if you’re in the mafia or caught up in some weird ass cult, I just want to catch these bastards before they get someone—probably you—hurt. Is that really such a weird ask?” 

 

Sighing, he looked out the window. It was grey and dreary out, though he found he didn’t mind. Despite the kidnapping attempts and the broken wrist, he’d loved every minute of being in New York. He hadn’t felt this close to his mother in years, nor had he had such successive thrills. Of course, meeting Cora was the proverbial cherry on top of it all. 

 

“You’re being quite reasonable, detective Vasquez, I just… I can’t draw anymore attention to myself.”

 

Cora levelled him with an unimpressed look. “What’s with this ‘detective Vasquez’ shit? Call me Cora, you weirdo,” she grumbled, stopping her pacing. With a dramatic huff, she flopped onto the rose-coloured settee across from him. “I get you want to keep this on the down-low, but Buzz and Red will be back and I doubt they’ll be okay with failing for a third time, TJ.” She looked at him, something deep, borderline vulnerable and desperate in her eyes. “Let me help you.”

 

TJ thought of Burl. He had seemed impressed with Cora, but reluctant to bring her closer into their circle of trust. They both knew he was safest if no one was aware of his true identity, yet he couldn’t help but feel they’d be making a big mistake by not letting Cora in. If she was truly hired by his father, she was most likely already aware of his status, meaning it didn’t matter. But if she wasn’t, it could open a whole can of worms he didn’t want to deal with. Not again. She could say it was above her pay grade and report it to her superiors, she could slip it to the tabloids, she could expect some sort of substantial reward for helping. There was just too many possibilities for it to go wrong, and though there wasn’t a rule forbidding him from revealing his true identity to the average person, he knew by doing so many things could go wrong in an instant, including his friends losing their livelihoods and his reign starting in scandal. 

 

“Why do you care so much? I appreciate you take your job seriously, but we just met and I’m not even from here. You have no obligation to help me.”

 

For a moment, Cora looked thoughtful. “It’s more than obligation. You’re a good person TJ, and those losers deserve to have their day in court, whether it’s for trying to kidnap you or something else, I don’t care. They can’t get away with this. I thought you of all people would agree with me on that.” 

 

He searched Cora’s face. A part of him—a large part—was screaming to accept her help, to trust her with his whole being. Yet another part, the more practical part, pushed him to think rationally. Despite all she’d done for him, he didn’t really know her. He’d been burned before, more than once, by deciding to trust those who’d presented themselves as an ally. Was that all Cora was? A wolf in sheep’s clothing, either put there by his father or by her own accord. 

 

Yet, he couldn’t help but want to believe the best in her—in people in general—as well as what his gut had been telling him: she truly wanted to help. 

 

“Okay.” Letting out a deep breath, he rubbed his palms against his thighs. “You can help, but-” he said, catching Cora’s hopeful look, “but, I can’t tell you anymore about myself then I already have.” 

 

Cora’s face immediately fell, her brows furrowing in annoyance. He held up his hand, nodding. He knew she wouldn’t like it, but he had a balancing act to uphold. 

 

“I can’t be entirely-” he winced, hating himself for the deception, “truthful with you about this. Not right now, at least. I’m sorry Cora. I’d understand if you didn’t want to continue on with it.”

 

She looked at him for a long moment. He could practically see the wheels turning in her head as she no doubt worked through what this would mean for her. 

 

His stomach dropped as she stood, shaking her head, her hands on her hips. 

 

“I can’t,” she said, her voice quiet but tense. 

 

Looking away, he swallowed down a surprising feeling of hurt and disappointment. 

 

“TJ,” she said, kneeling down in front of him. She grabbed his hand, surprising him enough to lock eyes once again. “I can’t just let them get you. I don’t understand why you won’t tell me more but I still want to help you.” She squeezed his hand. “Even if you’re making my job harder.” 

 

He cringed. “I’m sorry.”

 

She shook her head. “Honestly, anyone else and I woulda walked straight out that door, but you? I don’t know, I feel like I need to help you.” 

 

His stomach dropped. Did that mean she truly was working an angle? Or was it some form of confirmation bias? Maybe the world really was out to get him.

 

“TJ?”

 

“Nothing.” He smiled, though he doubted it was believable. “Thank you for your help.” 

 

She didn’t look convinced, but nodded anyways. 

 

“Okay,” she said, standing. “I have an idea, I doubt Burl’ll like it, but it’s the only thing I can think of.” 

 

“I’m all ears.” 

 

\- .... . / --. --- --- -.. / -.-. --- .--.

 

Thick snow fell in fluffy bits, quickly covering the ground. The cold early evening air bit into his cheeks as he trudged along the sidewalk with Burl and Ryan. He’d been tempted to head indoors and call the whole thing off, the weather adding another layer of danger to their plans he didn’t like. But he knew he couldn’t. He had less than two days left in New York, and the kidnappers were sure to be keenly aware of this fact, meaning they’d be desperate to grab him. It was now or never. 

 

Looking to his friends, he tried to reassure them with a smile, but it fell flat. Even Ryan, who was normally rather chipper, seemed glum. It really didn’t help his own nerves, but he knew he had to go through with it. Cora had been right, he couldn’t let these guys get away with this. They’d broken several laws, and though they wouldn’t be charged with his attempted kidnapping, they still needed to be held accountable for everything else. Plus, the thought of people out in the world wanting to take him for some unknown reason wasn’t something he thought he could easily lie with at night. 

 

It didn’t take long before they were outside a small museum a few blocks from from the hotel he’d staying at. It wasn’t one he’d planned on visiting originally, but they’d all decided it gave them an advantage over the kidnappers. The street was narrow and most of the buildings were too close together to get a car between them, let alone a van, while the alleyways wide enough didn’t connect to any other streets save for one, which Cora had somehow gotten closed off, apparently calling in a favour from a friend to get it done. 

 

Sighing, he nodded at them; the cue to put the plan to get him ‘kidnapped’ in motion.

 

Burl placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. 

 

“I hope you’re right about her—about this.”

 

TJ sent him a tight smile. He was still undecided about Cora’s motivations, but he wouldn’t let his friends know that. The whole thing would’ve been called off in a moments notice and the kidnappers would never get to see the inside of a prison cell, nor would he get to finish his last hoorah the way he’d intended. 

 

Burl clapped his shoulder before entering the museum. Ryan, nervously chewing on his lip, stood in front of him. TJ could practically feel the anxiety rolling off of him.

 

“Ryan?” 

 

A split second passed before Ryan launched himself at him, his arms wrapping tightly around him before squeezing tight. Surprised, it took TJ a long moment before he returned the gesture. 

 

“I’ll be okay, Ryan. _We_ ’ll be okay,” he said softly, now suddenly acutely aware of how horribly wrong this plan could go. How they all had something to lose. 

 

Ryan pulled back. “Sorry Your Highness.”

 

TJ shook his head. “It’s all right. I think we both needed that, if I’m being honest.” 

 

Ducking his head, Ryan smiled. “We won’t let you down.”

 

He smiled at the sincerity in his voice. “I know.” 

 

With a nod, Ryan turned and entered the museum, leaving TJ alone. Pulling out his phone, he looked at the time, waiting for Cora’s go-ahead text before he entered. Keeping it out incase anyone was watching, he pretended to play a game. Instead, he watched the time. Every second passed like an hour, his anxiety climbing incrementally with every tick. Taking a deep breath, he wiped his clammy hands against his pants. He wasn’t going to be of use to anyone if he couldn’t get himself under control. 

 

His phone dinged. 

 

Cora was finally ready. 

 

Sighing in relief, he turned to enter the building just as a black sedan pulled up. 

 

He stopped in his tracks as he heard a voice call his name, his blood running cold. 

 

\- .... . / --. --- --- -.. / -.-. --- .--.

 

“I can’t believe- Out of all the dumb- What the hell were you thinking, Anthony?” 

 

TJ cringed, hunching his shoulders, wishing he could sink into the plush couch he was sitting on in his father’s opulent hotel room. Even Burl, who was sitting on the armchair perpendicular to him, sent him a sympathetic look, while Ryan and Cora, who were standing close by, had twin owlish looks. He didn’t think he’d ever seen his dad this angry, at least not at him. Then again, he’d never out-right lied to him like this either, nor had he ever broken the rules this bad before. 

 

“You thought trying to concoct your own sting operation to catch the people trying to _kidnap_ you—psychos with guns I might add—was the right way to go about this? They obviously don’t mind hurting you,” his dad said, gesturing to his cast. “But you went ahead with it anyways, with no back-up, no one outside of these numbskulls,” he said, pointing to Burl, Ryan, and Cora, “who had a damn clue as to what was happening.”

 

“Sir, I can assure you, I wouldn’t have let any harm come to your son. I had contingency plans in place in case-”

 

“In case what? In case one of them needs a parole officer?”

 

Shock crossed Cora’s face, her mouth agape. 

 

Walking over to the small counter nearby, he opened the decanter.“I was told you introduced yourself as a ‘Detective’ but that’s not the truth, is it?” he said, making quick work of pouring himself a generous helping of what TJ could only assume was whiskey. “At least you didn’t lie about your name though, Miss Vasquez.” 

 

Now it was TJ’s turn to be shocked. Cora lied to them—to him? It hurt more than he thought it should’ve. Was she really nothing more than what he wanted her to be? Had he really fallen for his own version of his parent’s love story? 

 

Cora blushed, but didn’t back down. “You’re right. I lied. I’m nothing but a lowly PO,” she said, her voice quiet. “But this PO couldn’t let your son continue to brush off the fact that people were after him. Someone needed to help him and I couldn’t just sit idly by and let him get hurt again because he was too afraid to draw attention to himself.” Her eyes sharpened, now like daggers. “I can plainly see why now, with a father like you.” 

 

Ryan gasped. Under any other situation TJ would’ve laughed, but humour was the farthest thing from his mind at the moment. No, he was more concerned with the fact that Cora had been trying to protect him. Was that why she’d lied? To get him to agree to her help? Or was it more sinister than that? He’d been duped by a woman pretending to be someone she wasn’t before, he had no intentions of letting it happen again. Ever. His head was spinning.

 

“Who do you think you are, huh? Some American hussy-”

 

“Dad!” he said, shooting up. “That’s enough. Cora might’ve lied, but she doesn’t deserve to be denigrated.” 

 

His father turned on him. “And you! I’m not done with you yet, either,” he said, his finger wagging. “Why didn’t you tell me? I asked you straight up what happened and you told me it was an accident,” his dad said, hands waving wildly in the air, his face red. “When did you start lying to your old man, huh? Especially about something this important? Something that could not only affect you but your whole damn country. I’m astounded at your selfishness.” 

 

It felt like he’d been punched in the gut, all his fight leaving him in one fell swoop. His dad was right. How was this supposed to inspire confidence in his father—in his people—if he hadn’t even been able to handle this situation with the grace of a level-headed, mature adult? He wasn’t fit to wear the crown let alone carry the Caruso name. 

 

“I’m sorry, dad. I didn’t-” 

 

“Didn’t what? Didn’t think you’d get caught? Well, Junior, I got news for you: if you want to bullshit a bullshitter, you gotta do a lot better at hiding the clues that give away the truth,” he said, tapping at the underside of his jaw, close to his ear, in indication of something. 

 

Frowning, TJ looked to Burl who just shrugged. 

 

Cora cleared her throat, her stance still taught. “You gotta a faint bruise,” she said, as if the words were being pulled from her. “Here too,” she added, tapping about half inch lower on her own jaw. 

 

Finger marks from where Buzz had grabbed him. 

 

“Dad, I-”

 

With a long sigh, his father deflated, his face falling. “How can I be expected to trust you again, Anthony?” 

 

Swallowing thickly, he looked away.

 

“We’re going home. The jet’s leaving in four hours and _you will_ be on it. I don’t care how many days you have left or that you’ve gotten yourself a little girlfriend, it’s time to leave.”

 

“I can’t-”

 

“I don’t want to hear anymore excuses, Anthony. Your mother, God rest her soul, would be extremely disappointed in you, I hope you realize that.” 

 

If he thought his father’s talking-down was harsh, this was Hell on Earth. The worst part was, this time he knew his dad was right. By trying to connect to his mom, he’d become someone else and inadvertently betrayed the people he cared for most.

 

Unshed tears prickled in his eyes, threatening to fall. Swallowing thickly, and not wanting to embarrass himself further, he rushed out of the room, ignoring his father’s calls for him to stay.

 

\- .... . / --. --- --- -.. / -.-. --- .--.

 

Burl wasn’t one to get into domestics, especially of the royal variety, but this was too much. Time and time again he’d seen Tony—someone who was not only his boss but someone he considered a friend (well, as good of friends as a royal and a commoner could be)—let his own son down. Over and over he’d see the young man’s façade crack as his father hurt him, seemingly without a care. Normally—and Burl wasn’t proud to admit this—he’d look the other way, maybe help distract TJ a bit until things blew over, but this time was different. This time, Tony had crossed a line. 

 

“Cora. Ryan,” he said, standing tall, “Go make sure TJ’s okay, will you?” 

 

Tony looked at him like he’d grown another head. “What?”

 

Ryan hesitated but Cora dragged him out of the room before they could be stopped. 

 

“You’ve really messed things up this time.” 

 

“ _I_ messed things up? I’m not the one who’s-”

 

“Who’s what? Trying to ‘tarnish’ the crown? The country? I think you’ve already done that just fine all by your damn self. You were abdicated for misappropriating funds and making backhanded deals, were you not?” 

 

Tony rapidly blinked, obviously shocked at his decision to talk back. Not once in his entire career had he ever done something like this. After the events of the past few days, he was sure to lose his job and the respect he’d accumulated over the years. His life as he knew it was over. But in the moment, he had never been more sure of what he was doing, shunning be damned. Some things in life were more important than a good social status and a cushy job.

 

Besides, he’d already gotten this far, he might as well go out with a bang rather than a fizzle at this point. 

 

“Is your son not the most important thing to you?”

 

“How could you ask me that? Of course he is.”

 

“I’d say you have a piss poor way of showing it.” He brought a hand up, silencing the other man before he had time to vocally express his indignation. “You told me once you’d fend off the Grim Reaper itself if it tried to come for him. You remember that, the night in the hospital after the car crash? When we didn’t know if TJ would pull through or not?”

 

Tony rubbed a hand over his weary face. “Yeah…” he said, his voice quiet, “of course I remember. Worst day of my life.”

 

Suddenly tired—the bone-deep sort—he sat back in his armchair. He didn’t bother to get comfortable.

 

“It was a hard day for the whole country. The Queen was suddenly gone, the Prince on death’s door, your brother had to take over and you… you were off on ‘house arrest’ in your family chalet up North. No one had seen you in years.”

 

“And?” said Tony. “Burl, I know all of this. I lived through it firsthand.” 

 

“It took you eight hours to get to the hospital. At that point, even your most staunch supporters hated you. We all thought you weren’t coming.”

 

“You all think that little of me? That I wouldn’t come see my own goddamn kid in the hospital? Especially after something that serious?” 

 

“Yes.”

 

“Bullshit,” he said, standing and turning towards the door. “I don’t have to listen to this crap, Burl. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m your employer, and a member of the goddamn royal family no less, not the other way around.” 

 

“Sit.” He’d never been this terse with Tony before. Hell, he wasn’t even sure he’d been like this ever. It was usually too much of a hassle.

 

Tony spun back around, his eyebrow cocked. “What?”

 

“Sit. I’m not done with you yet.” 

 

He didn’t know why the man did as he was told, maybe he was finally starting to grasp how serious this whole situation was. Maybe he could tell Burl wouldn’t let this alone until he did as he was told. Either way, Burl was happy to finally have the man listen to him for once. It was about damn time. 

 

“You rushed into that hospital eight hours late because you were out getting the best doctors in Europe to save TJ. In that moment, you showed us—all of Carusania—that you cared about someone else more than yourself. That you actually loved your son. And when I asked you why you did it, you told me that it was the only way you knew how to fight off the Reaper; give TJ the best defence possible so it’d turn the other way, at least long enough to get him to the other side.” 

 

Tony looked at him, something heavy and deeply emotional in his eyes. Burl had known the man a long time though. He knew when he was trying to keep his emotions under wraps. This time, he wouldn’t let him. He wouldn’t let his friend bury this. Not ever again. 

 

“You knocked on those doctor’s doors, pleaded with some of them through interpreters, made deals with them, begged them to save your son. And after they did, after he got better and left the hospital and made it through physio, you continued to act as if he was still there, waiting at the threshold. Any wrong move and it would all be over.” 

 

He watched his friend closely. Not once in the entirety of his 35 years of service to the royal family had he ever seen Tony cry. There had been some close calls, but this time, this time he knew he’d get the man to work through some of the shit that had been eating away at him for years now. 

 

“You can relax now, Tony. TJ is okay. He survived. He’s still here with us. It’s not some sort of long-con or fever dream. He’s very much alive and well and ready to take his place at the throne once he turns 25 in a few months.” 

 

Tony placed a hand over his mouth and looked away. 

 

“Do you know why your son came to New York? This isn’t some sight-seeing trip, there’s a reason we’re here. There’s a reason we went to the places we’ve been, you of all people should know that.” 

 

Tony sniffled, his wet eyes flickering back and forth as he wrestled with some unseen force in his mind before he deflated. “Connie,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “All the museums, that dinky bookshop, the cafes and restaurants… they were all places she liked to go to. How did I not realize?” he added softly, rubbing at this chin. 

 

“He misses his mom, Tony. And I suspect the reason he came to New York to connect with her is because you wouldn’t help him.” 

 

Tony held his head in his hands for a long moment, only a quiet sniffle or two breaking the silence. With a deep sigh, he sat up, blinking away unshed tears. 

 

“What have I done?” 

 

Burl took a deep breath, that bone-deep tiredness seeping back in. “Nothing you can’t make up to him if you apologize and make amends. Like you mean it,” he added, knowing Tony often shirked emotional labour duties when he thought he could get away with it. 

 

Tony looked at him, his expression open, honest. “I’m gonna make this right.” 

 

With that, he made his way out the door before Burl had time to get up.

 

\- .... . / --. --- --- -.. / -.-. --- .--.

 

TJ let out a deep sigh, his shuddering breath hanging in the cold night air. He wrapped his arms around his middle, annoyed at himself for forgetting his coat. 

 

“TJ!”

 

He spun around, the mixed echo of Cora and Ryan’s far away voices catching him off guard, only to dodge a gloved hand reaching out to grab him. As he side stepped the kidnapper, he slipped in the snow, landing hard on his knee before jerking back as the man reached for him once again. 

 

“TJ!” 

 

Cora and Ryan started to run faster, their pace hindered by the heavy snow.

 

He bit back a scream as the kidnapper grabbed his broken wrist and yanked him forward, his vision blackening around the edges as tendrils of pain shot through his arm. Before he had time to recover, Buzz hooked him around the middle. He slammed his elbow back in retaliation, hitting the man hard enough to wind him, giving TJ the chance to squirm away. Scrambling backward, his back hit a wall. He wildly looked around, desperate for anything to help him as the kidnapper stalked closer. 

 

“Your little bitch can’t help you now.” He pulled out a gun, pointing it toward Cora, who was only a dozen feet away. She gasped, shoving Ryan to the side and into a snow pile. As she reached for her own gun, a shot rang out, echoing out into the night air. Cora violently jerked backward before falling to the ground in a lifeless heap. 

 

“NO!”

 

TJ rushed to his feet, barreling straight into the man, sending them both—and the gun—crashing into a snowbank. He’d never felt so much anger in his life, not when he’d found out his dad had cheated on his mom nor when he’d been told he’d never get to see her again. 

 

Cora was innocent. She’d just been trying to help him, not even aware of who he really was, that’s how good of a person she was. She didn’t deserve to die. Not like this. Not because of him. 

 

He lashed out, his cast smashing against the man’s face hard enough to crack the plaster and the man’s nose. He didn’t even feel pain. Before he could land another punch, he was suddenly jerked back by his collar only to be met with the sight of Red. 

 

She kicked him in the chest, forcing him on his back before putting a foot on him, close to his throat. She pulled a glock from her waistband, aiming it straight at him. His breath caught in his throat, his heart thumping so hard he was sure she could feel it through her boot.

 

Buzz groaned before shakily getting to his feet, his hand clamped firmly over his nose. Blood oozed between his fingers. 

 

The woman moved her foot. “Get up,” she said, using her gun for emphasis.

 

Glaring at them both, he stood. 

 

“Now,” she said, her gun steady, pointed right at his gut, “we’ve already created much more of a commotion than we would’ve liked. So, do as we say, and we’ll let you keep all your fingers, Bambi.” 

 

He scowled at her. There was no way he was going with them. He needed to get to Cora and get her to a hospital. 

 

“No.”

 

The woman raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?” 

 

He forced himself to keep eye contact, desperate to keep their attention on him and not on Ryan who was shifting behind them, reaching for Cora. “I said no.” 

 

Red scoffed before stepping forward, raising the gun so it rested against his forehead, just above his right brow. The metal was cool, forcing a shiver from him. 

 

Letting out a shaky breath, he staunchly refused to lose his composure. Not now. “Go ahead. Do it.” 

 

They stared at each other for a long moment, a battle of nerve, before she laughed and moved the gun away. “You know,” she said, stepping back to allow the man to grip his upper arm, “you’re not what I was expecting. Whoever you pissed off had the wrong idea about you and your friends, that’s for sure.” 

 

A horrible, sour feeling settled in his stomach. 

 

“Oh,” said the woman, “that’s right, you don’t know.” 

 

“Know what?” 

 

She smirked. “How about we let you in on our little secret in the van, hmm, prince Anthony?” 

 

The man tugged him into the alleyway, anxiety building in his chest until it felt like he couldn’t breathe. Every step closer felt like he was seconds away from the hangman’s noose. Though he supposed, in a morbid way, maybe he deserved it. It was his fault Cora was likely dead. That Ryan and Burl would lose everything, while his dad… he’d just dragged his dad’s name through the mud all over again. Tainting the family name once more. Uncle Luca would be horrified to call him family. And all because these people wanted what, exactly? Money? Some kind of leverage? It wasn’t worth it. He wasn’t worth it. 

 

A gun cocked behind them. His breath left him as they slowly turned around. 

 

It was his dad, Burl, and… _Cora_. His heart jumped at the sight of her. There was a pinched look to her face, giving away the intense pain she must been in. Still, she didn’t seem to be bleeding or just about to keel over at any moment. 

 

Cora had her gun levelled at Red. His dad mirroring her but with Buzz’s gun aimed at the man in question.

 

The woman pulled him to her, pushing the barrel of gun to his temple as she used him like a shield. 

 

“Let him go or you’ll be the next one to know what it feels like to get shot,” said Cora, eerily clam.

 

“I really doubt that, honey.” Despite the hard edge to her voice, TJ could feel a slight tremor run through her. Somehow he doubted it was from the cold. 

 

“Let him go; I won’t ask again.”

 

Red scoffed. 

 

“Hang on,” said his dad, a look of horror dawning on his face. “I know you two…”

 

The woman stiffened. 

 

“Aren’t you-?” Before his dad could finish, Buzz darted to the van, wrenching open the passenger door and diving in. His dad fired off a shot, sparks exploding as the bullet hit the edge of the door, narrowly missing the man’s flailing legs. 

 

Red moved her gun from his head and pointed it straight at his dad. The breath left his chest as she aimed. Thinking fast, he pushed her elbow up just as she fired, the bullet missing his dad by mere centimetres. 

 

Then all hell broke loose. 

 

Cora bolted toward him as he grappled with Red for the gun while his dad and Burl hurried to the van. 

 

A round fired as he and Red fell to the ground, exploding a brick in the building next to them. Grabbing her wrist, he smashed her hand against the ground, loosening the gun from her grip so Cora could kick it away. With a screech of annoyance, she swiped her hand like a cat, her nails digging painfully into his neck. Reeling back, hand to his neck, he scrambled out of her way before she could get him again. Cora, thank god, was at the ready. She fought off Red’s attempts at scratching her before walloping her across the face, the wannabe-kidnapper immediately going slack. She flipped Red over, cuffing her before turning her on her side.

 

TJ huffed a laugh, giddy from the adrenaline. Cora turned around, a beautiful smile on her face. 

 

“You’re okay?” he asked, desperate to hear her voice. 

 

She nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be okay.” Her voice was breathy, but there was an undercurrent of something he couldn’t quite place. 

 

He frowned as he saw a suspicious glittering in her eyes, but she turned away before he could be sure. 

 

As he opened his mouth to prod further, Buzz was thrown to the ground in front of them. He was out cold too, bloody drool oozing from his mouth. 

 

“Got more cuffs?” asked his dad. 

 

Cora cleared her throat. “You’re in luck.” She pulled an extra pair from her jacket before tossing them his way. 

 

His dad made quick work of cuffing the man before helping him to his feet. 

 

Sirens pierced the air just as Ryan entered the alleyway, his eyes immediately going wide at the scene before him. 

 

“Uh, the cops are almost here?” 

 

He saw Cora roll her eyes. He bit back a smile. 

 

“You okay, kid?” his dad said softly, brushing the hair from his forehead. 

 

He nodded, his eyes straying to the kidnappers once more. 

 

“Dad?” 

 

“Hmm?”

 

“How do you know them?”

 

\- .... . / --. --- --- -.. / -.-. --- .--.

 

Three major things happened the five months after that night. 

 

One: they found out that his uncle Luca was the one who’d hired the kidnappers. Apparently it had been in a bid to keep the crown for himself. TJ had been sick after he learned the truth. 

 

But he hadn’t been the only one impacted. It was an immeasurable blow the whole country, once the truth of TJ’s New York vacation had been made public. There had been an outcry, the peoplenot sure they could trust the royal family anymore. What had surprised him though, was the support they still had in him despite this. 

 

In the end, after many sleepless nights, TJ had been crowned king, just days after his 25 th birthday. If the public reception was anything to go by, his country believed in him. He wasn’t sure he could top the pure feeling of happiness that had bloomed in his chest as they chanted his name.

 

Two: his shattered relationship with his father finally began to heal. He wasn’t sure what Burl had said to him, but he knew he owed the man a debt he could never repay. He did try though. He made sure Burl—and Ryan—held their titles, while also receiving medals for their bravery. And a pay raise, of course.

 

Three: Cora—who had taken to his being royalty surprisingly well—had followed him to Carusania. It had only been to visit, but she’d brought a gift with her that had put a smile on his face for the rest of the week. The book. The one he’d been looking for when they first met. In all the craziness of the day, he’d ended up not buying it, something that he’d kicked himself over once he’d realized what he’d done. 

 

It looked like Cora still had his back though. 

 

After their little reunion, they’d kept in touch. It didn’t take long from there though for a relationship to bloom between them. 

 

It wasn’t long after that he’d proposed to her, giving Carusania a new Queen worthy of their loyalty.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to literati42 for being such an amazing person and co-host for this challenge and to Eienvine for the inspiration and the country's name :) And thank you to ALL the Good Conspirators for their support the past few months! I really appreciate it!


End file.
